Attorney: Teacher's chat inappropriate, not crime

WHITE CLOUD -- Several years ago, White Cloud Junior High teacher Edward Kowalski was disciplined after he accessed pornography and chat rooms on school computers, records showed.

The educator's troubles have worsened with allegations he had sexually charged chats with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl.

Kowalski, 51, of Big Rapids, is charged with accosting a child for immoral purposes, a four-year felony, and using a computer to commit a crime, punishable by four to 10 years in prison. He is free on a personal-recognizance bond pending arraignment.

While the conversation would be distasteful for many, Kowalski's attorney -- not acknowledging his client was the one chatting -- insisted that no crime occurred. Kowalski did not proposition the supposed teen, set up a meeting or send photographs.

"You're not going to see Chris Hansen walking out like from 'Dateline,'" attorney Scott Grabel said, referring to NBC's "To Catch a Predator" series, where men show up at a house after chatting with what they believe to be a teen-age girl.

He thinks that Kowalski's status as a school teacher led to charges being filed. The allegations will hurt his client, whether he is convicted or cleared. As a father of two, Grabel understood why authorities go after predators, but said his client isn't among them.

Kowalski is set for arraignment today in Lenawee County District Court. He was allegedly chatting with an undercover Adrian police officer. Detective Vincent Emrick, trained in Internet crimes, said he investigates such cases when he can, but it could be a full-time job.

He said he posed as the 15-year-old during a July 19 chat with Kowalski. The chat ranged from sex to sports, and included "numerous sexual references."

According to a log contained in police reports obtained by The Grand Rapids Press, Kowalski told her he had a secluded pool behind his home where he held wild parties. He also said, "I love to fantasize about young women... ," police reports showed.

At one point, he asked if he could call her, but was told her mother was home. He talked about a sex act, but she said she never tried it. He said, "OK," and asked for a online voice chat, the police reports showed.

Using a search warrant, Emrick and Mecosta County sheriff's deputies visited Kowalski on July 21. Kowalski, who lived alone, told police he did not have a computer or an account to access the chat service, and denied ever chatting with the 15-year-old, reports showed.

Police could not locate a computer, only a monitor on its side on the floor. But police found a newspaper article about Kowalski, in which he said he uses the Internet daily to buy Frisbees for his collection. Police described Kowalski as "deceptive" during the search, and said he was "drenched in perspiration" as police worked, reports said.

Later, after Emrick left, he got a call from Mecosta County Central Dispatch. Someone complained a trash bag was discarded on private property. Police found a few computer parts in the bag. The witness took down the license plate, which belonged to Kowalski, police reports showed.